Daily Republican., 1887-11-22

to them for coming.
'1t amt considered out the wav
nowadays" che continued, still smil.
ing, but with a shade of earnestness in
her voice, "to have speeches at din.
ners, an I've got in my mind to make
sort of speech, If our friends won't
take il amiss."
~ know there's been sorter feelin'
against me an the girls here. Tvs
been u CROWN nigh year. l don't
say but what our doin's has seemed
Kinder secret an strange, but l wish
old friends had had little more conf
dence that we was strivin' for a good
purpose. I'm prepared now to make
clean breast of 1t an tell you all
candid why we was actin just as we
did.
maybe it's no news to most of you
that my husbands cousin made us a
loan ON this farm twelve years ago,
when we put up the new barn and
painted the fence. 1t warn't a big
cum, but IL got bigger after awhile
with neglecting the interest, and this
last year or two we've worried good
bit about ii, an pas took it greatly to
heart; IFS fairly made him gray. A
year ago Thanksgiving, Cousin
Joshua died and his folks began to
press pa for the money, cause they
wanted TO divide the estate. When
Cynthy came home from school teach
ing last spring she talked things over
with me an her sisters, an we made
up scheme to lift some OF the load off
OF pas shoulders without letting him
know what we was at, for fear OF rails
in false hopes an disappointin' him.
First we got him to let US have the
poultry profits, then the butter money,
an | tell you We have put that bust
ness through pretty thorough. There
lain't been ounce of butter eat this
whole year by US women folks, ar
the pains I've took 20 make the butter
|somcthin' extra is more'n can tell.
But it paid, tor I've got five cents extra
la pound for it right along
Every other day in summer, an
twice a week in winter, one of my
Lei Is has got up at 8 an A o'clock an
hitched up her own horse an started
|of to town an served customers be.
fore they was down to their breakfast
tables, with butter, pot cheese, butter
milk, eggs, chickens an anything else
we could spare.
"Jemima, she's run the garden and
furnished early lettuce, radishes and
vegetables all through the summer.
"Lucy, she's made up little nosegays
an sent long with the rest, an folks
generally bought 'em pretty ready;
an she's also made jelly an jam, an;
|canned termattuses an sold 'em to the
butter customers, an bottled Up fruit
|sirups for eatin' on puddings, that's
had great sale.
"Jennie, she's worked for all of US
to give us chance to tend to our
work, an me an her has made cake
regular to send in every time the
wagon went. A baker gave US a
chance to put the cake into his win
dow with paper in front of it stating
If was old-fashioned, real, home made
cake. An bless you it went off like
smoke, an we could sell tons of it if
we'd nothin' TO do but to make IT."
II tell you," she went, ON gianc-
ing around to meet very friendly, ap-
proving looks from all her guests 1--WE
have put in year OF good, hard
work, an real selt-denial, too. EARLY
nornin' an late at nights we've been
at it, an my girls amt had hit of
young folks pleasure. not a visit to
anybody, not halt hour for a walk
or sail, just steady work, work,
work. An out of all the good things
we was rsisin' an grow in, an max in
an bakin' we ain't tasted nothin' 'cept
occasional when there was somethin'
or mother came back unsold. An
there amt one cf us that's had new
thing 'cept shoes,
"Cynthy went off for the winter as
you know, cause we could look after
her chickens an she thought she'd get
more at that season at teaching An
through it all we never was happier
not one of US, though twas kinder
trial to see old friends sorter gettin' pa
to feel abused, an him an Others be-
ginnin' TO misjudge US.
No. you needn't try to apologize.
We knew you all did think we was
actin queer and selfish, but we hain't
no hard feelin's. We didn't expect to
be understood for a while. But them
days is over an gone; there can't no
one mistake us any more, for-for-"
She had miscalculated her own
strength, and like the poor, weak
nervons woman she had always felt
superior pity tor, she ended in su,.-
denly choked up throat an flood of
tears.
Cynthy, to whose own bright eyes
quick tears of sympathy had rushed,
sprang to her mothers side and took
from her hand an envelope she had
held all through her long speech.
at is only this way" she said
'Mother has looked forward to this
happy surprise for father for SO long
that now she's quite broke down with
the pleasure of it. This letter is from
Cousin Joshua's widow, and it's re-
ceipt for all the money we have owed
him so long"
"An'-you've - ARMED - it = ell"
gasped Mr.. Berry, as she handed him
the modest looking document, "you---
you---" but no one noticed that, instead
of finishing his sentence, he collapsed
into his big, best silk pocket handker
Chief in flood of tears, TOR everybody
was trying to outtalk everybody else
in q vain effort to make their hostess
and her daue hters understand that they
had each privately believed they were
working in secret for some high and
lofty purpose.
Historical society.
The H storical Society of Delaware